


Uncontrollable

by Lightning515



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Adult Arcobaleno, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Curse, Angst, Blood and Injury, Dark Sawada Tsunayoshi, Fluff, Gen, Giotto is not Primo, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, No Arcobaleno Curse, Sawada Iemitsu's A+ Parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 23:12:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14365737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lightning515/pseuds/Lightning515
Summary: Abandoned and left for dead, Tsuna is found by the Arcobaleno and becomes their new Sky, despite the trauma of his past tainting his pure oranges flames a midnight black. Just when Tsuna thought he’d finally made peace with his past, Reborn is sent to train Giotto, Vongola’s successor... and Tsuna’s brother. The past is catching up, and no one would be left unscathed.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by WaiiKitsune

Tsuna grasped the door handle tightly in his small hand and turned it slowly, taking care to open the living room door without a sound. He had to be quiet; he didn't want to be caught spying on something that he was, apparently, not supposed to hear. His Papa had repeatedly told him that he was going to teach his older brother something that he himself couldn't learn until he was older. Tsuna didn't want to argue with his Papa; arguing wasn't what a good child does, after all. So he had quietly watched as the pair walked into the living room and shut the door tightly behind them. As a child, however, his curiosity was still too great and he couldn't help but be drawn to whatever was happening behind that closed door.

Sawada ‘Tsuna’ Tsunayoshi was a young 5 years old boy, always curious about practically everything. His caramel-colored eyes shone with innocence and his adorably chubby cheeks made just about everyone fall victim to his irresistible charms. His chestnut-brown hair spiked in every direction despite numerous attempts to tame it, defying gravity in incomprehensible ways. Tsuna was also very short, not to mention smaller and weaker than most boys his age. His boundless energy and determination made up for it; however, and he would always try his best at everything no matter what it was, never giving up even if he failed.

His older brother, Sawada Giotto, was also 5 years old, though he was older than Tsuna by just a couple of months. His eyes were a bright orange, as warm as sunlight in the afternoon. His hair was a golden yellow and spiked haphazardly in various directions (much like Tsuna's). Giotto was also taller than Tsuna by about a head (much to the younger's indignation), and quite a bit stronger than his younger brother. Giotto always used this to his advantage, making sure to protect his precious younger sibling from everyone who tried to hurt him.

Tsuna nudged the door open a bit more, just as his Papa was showing Giotto an orange flame that he lit up on his hand. The young brunet was instantly fascinated by the "magic trick", unable to take his eyes off what was going on. The flames were bright and lively, flickering as though it was dancing and appeared to have materialized from nowhere. He saw Papa heard something to Giotto and, eager to know what was being said, Tsuna strained his ears to catch every word. He was so focused on hearing what his dad had to say, however, that he did not hear the figure approaching him from behind.

Tsuna flinched, barely managing to stop himself from jumping up or squeaking when he felt hands on his thin shoulders. He turned around reluctantly, knowing fully well that he had been caught red-handed. Avoiding Mamma’s stern gaze, the young brunet stared down at the hardwood floor, pretending to be fascinated by the various lines in the wood. Mamma, who was holding him still by the shoulders, had a worried look on her face as she watched the youngest try to hide the obvious guilt that he felt. Before long, she gave in, sighing softly in defeat as she let her usual smile slip back on her face.

"Tsu-kun, would you like to help me make lunch? We are going to have sandwiches today," Nana asked gently, no evidence of disapproval in her tone. Nana understood the reason behind Tsuna's disobedience and hence decided to let the young brunet off the hook; all children were naturally curious when they were young. Still, she couldn't help but worry at how her husband would react if he knew that Tsuna had seen their lesson.

His eyes shone eagerly as Tsuna looked up, nodding vigorously in agreement and allowing Mamma to lead him to the kitchen. Because he was naturally clumsy—tripping on air and always dropping whatever he was carrying, Tsuna was often told to keep out of the kitchen, lest he accidentally injure himself (or others). There were a few rare occasions when Tsuna was allowed to help out in the kitchen and so he valued every opportunity, finding the art fascinating and fun. Despite being excited about helping to make lunch, Tsuna couldn't help but let his thoughts drift back to the flame that he saw Papa materialized. He knew that he wasn't supposed to peek on his brother’s lesson—his Papa had made that very clear; but he felt the flame was calling out to him, as though _he_ was destined to have it, to wield it.

Tsuna still couldn’t understand all of these emotions and urges coursing through him. What he  _did_  understand, however, was the warmth stirring inside him when he saw that bright orange flame.

Tsuna resolved to create the flame by himself—he would show everyone that he wasn’t a 'little boy' anymore. He wanted to prove to Papa that he was a 'big boy'; just as big as his older brother! The first step to doing that must have something to do with those serious words that he barely made out before his mom appeared.

" _To be able to create this flame, you will need resolve and dying will. If you resolve to do something with your dying will, the flame will surely burn brightly for you."_

* * *

 

A few months passed.

Ever since he saw that flame for the first time, he would try to listen in on Giotto's lessons without getting caught, wanting to learn how to manifest the flame as well. Although he  _really_ wanted to ask Giotto to teach him what Papa taught him, his older brother would definitely get in trouble if Papa ever found out about it. Instead, Tsuna would hole up in his room for hours after watching their lesson, secretly trying to recreate that alluring orange flame for himself. Despite Mamma’s frequent warnings, his thoughts kept drifting back to the flame, and soon, Mamma gave up on trying to keep him away from the and instead simply made sure to lead him away when it seemed the lesson was about to end. She warned him never to ask Papa about the flame, explaining that Papa believed he was still too young—despite all his protests—and that he would learn it when he was older. Papa knew nothing about his curiosity, for course, and continued to teach Giotto once a week whenever he was home from work.

Not even Mamma, however, knew that Tsuna would practice trying to make his flame appear in his room after everyone went to bed.

Tsuna furrowed his eyes in concentration, staring down at his hands. He wasn’t able to make the flame appear yet and was slowly growing frustrated with his lack of progress. But earlier today, he had heard his Papa explain how the flame appears when one has a strong enough resolve and that resolve is similar to one's desire to do something. The young brunet thought for a long time about what he wanted—what he truly  _desired_. He knew that it couldn't be something simple, like the new stuffed lion that he saw in the store yesterday and really wanted, for example. It took a while, but he finally came up with an answer he knew was _right_.

" _I want to protect my family: Gio-nii, Mamma, and Papa!"_

Almost instantly, the bright orange flame appeared on his fingertips, as if satisfied with his answer. The flame flickered and shone brightly in his dimly lit room, making Tsuna's eyes sparkle from the glow and creating lively shadows on the ceiling. Tsuna jumped in shock, before realizing that the flame wasn't burning him. It was warm and fuzzy and had a feeling of familiarity and calm. He giggled in happiness; his Gio-nii had only managed to create his flame just yesterday and it was barely more than a wisp.  _His_  flame burned brightly, and with a little experimentation, Tsuna found that he could control the size of the flame, depending on how much he concentrated.

It was then did he notice that his flame looked a little different than his Gio-nii's and Papa's; his flames were more orange and…  _pure_. Something told Tsuna that was the right word to describe his flame. Unlike his dark-orange and lively flame, Papa’s flame was a pale orange and burned almost lazily in comparison. His Gio-nii's flame, on the other hand, was better: his flames were darker than Papa’s, though not as dark as Tsuna's, and his flame also flickered more actively than Papa’s. He giggled at the idea of his flame being better than his Papa's and Giotto's. Despite being so young and inexperienced, something was telling him that the flame was really important.

After a few minutes of staring at the flame dancing in his hand in fascination, Tsuna dispelled the flame, watching it dwindle away on his fingertips. He felt slightly fatigued from the effort it took to make the flame but also extremely happy and satisfied. The warmth quickly disappeared from his fingertips; but he still felt its presence inside him, warming him up from inside.

Tsuna stood up and climbed into bed, wrapping his blankets around him. Papa was coming home that weekend; maybe that will be when he will show Papa what a big boy he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I first started this story back on FFN around 4-5 years ago and now I'm bringing it back! Now that I have the time, I really want to complete this fic. I will be posting the chapters here first but you can find the first 4 of them [ here](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9227671/1/Uncontrollable)! I am editing the chapters on FFN and all edits and future chapters will be posted here first :)
> 
> If you want to learn more about this AU (no spoilers!) or just chat with me about KHR, find me at [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/Chibichibichu) or check my profile for other places to find me :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by WaiiKitsune

The weather was marvelous; the sun was casting a warm glow over everything and the sky was clear without a single cloud in the sky. The door to the Sawada household slammed open with a loud 'bang' as Tsuna and Giotto ran out of the house and toward the nearby park. It had been a while since they had gone to the park to play, having been dragged on errand after errand in preparation for their Papa’s return that weekend; they were eager to get some sun and much needed air. Nana stuck her head out the doorway and waved to the retreating backs of her sons, calling out after them, "Don't stay out too long! Be careful!"

The two boys briefly stopped running and turned around, waving their goodbyes with identical smiles on their faces before continuing to their destination. Nana continued watching the road they went down for a while, her sharp eyes effortlessly catching and recognizing a shadow following the two boys. She let out a small sigh of relief before heading back into the house to prepare dinner, knowing that her boys will be safe.

The Sawada family currently resided in Italy, having moved closer to Vongola Headquarters to make it easier for Iemitsu to be with his family (whenever he had a spare moment, that is). With Nana being a retired assassin and Iemitsu being the leader of the CEDEF, their sons were a liability: a perfect weakness for an enemy Family to kidnap and use against the most powerful Famiglia in the Mafia.

Because Iemitsu wasn’t always home to protect his family, he always made sure that there were guards hired by the Vongola around to watch over his family while he was gone. The guards stayed hidden in the shadows, undetected by ordinary citizens, allowing the family to blend in and live relatively normal lives. The only time the guards were allowed to reveal themselves and interfere was if any member of the Sawada family was endangered by the Mafia; interference for any other reason wasn't allowed.

The neighborhood that they lived in was a 'normal one', devoid of any Mafioso or anyone Mafia-related (to their knowledge and extensive network, at least). It was relatively quiet except for the occasional crime, allowing their family to raise their children away from the Mafia in peace. There were still the occasional neighborhood bullies in the area, however, This motivated Nana to teach the boys some basic self-defense skills so that they can defend themselves in case of emergencies (despite them being followed by a bodyguard whenever either one of them left the house). Despite having multiple lessons, only Giotto was able to master the basics; Tsuna was still too clumsy and weak, but his enthusiasm and effort had encouraged Nana to keep trying.

Nana sighed as she thought of her two sons. The arguments between her and Iemitsu had drastically increased in fervor and frequency, especially when they involved Giotto and Tsuna. All Nana wanted was to do what was needed to protect her children's innocence for as long as possible, before they were forcibly dragged into the Mafia world. Iemitsu, however, had different plans and was impatient for Giotto to master the Dying Will Flame. After much debate, she had agreed to him teaching Giotto, knowing that learning about the flame would allow him to protect himself more easily from the world.

Still, she couldn’t help but have a bad feeling about where this was all going.

* * *

 

Giotto ran through the entrance to the park before coming to a stop. He turned gracefully on his heels to face the direction that he had just come from, a bright smile on his face despite gasping for breath. "Come on Tsu-kun!" he called out, grinning at his younger brother. The blond watched as Tsuna sped up at Giotto's words, trying to go faster and cover the distance that separated them while doing his best not to stumble over his own two feet. In their excitement to play outdoors, they had raced to the park, though Tsuna had rapidly fallen behind no matter how fast he ran. A part of him was sulking as he knew that his older brother wasn't running his fastest, always making sure that he could keep his little brother in sight. But he was still grateful that Gio-nii waited for him, never leaving him behind despite his slower pace.

The brunet was only a few steps away when his usual clumsiness kicked in, causing him to trip over his own feet. He fell to his knees, skidding slightly on the rough concrete floor with a sharp cry of pain. Giotto’s eyes widened in shock as he ran over to Tsuna's side, helping the younger up as he frantically checked him up and down for any injuries. "Are you ok? You're not hurt anywhere are you?" Giotto asked worriedly. Thankfully, Tsuna was wearing jeans that minimized injury and only suffered a few minor scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious. Giotto let out a sigh in relief.

"I-I'm… fine…" The tears forming in the corners of Tsuna's eyes said otherwise. Despite none of the scrapes being serious, it was obvious the impact with the unforgiving concrete hurt _._

Giotto's mind raced; he had to distract his younger brother and he needed that distraction fast _._ His mind rapidly flashed through various ideas to distract Tsuna from the pain and make him feel better. (After all, being the overprotective brother he, he simply couldn't  _bear_ to see Tsuna cry.) Inspiration struck when he spotted the small ice cream stand parked near the front of the park, not that far from where they were. "Tsu-kun, would you like some strawberry ice cream?"

Tsuna's face immediately lit up at the mention of ice cream, his favorite flavor an added bonus to his excitement. Giotto chuckled at his younger brother's reaction; it was absolutely  _adorable_  and he was really having a hard time stopping himself from cuddling said brother to death in public.

The blond casually reached into his pocket and checked the allowance that he had received earlier in the month, counting out the necessary amount for two cones and pocketing the rest. Tsuna started to reach into his pocket for his allowance, only for Giotto to reach out and grab his hand. "No Tsu-kun. I'll pay for it." Giotto said, gently but firmly.

"I can pay for it myself Gio-nii!" Tsuna pouted, his bottom lip jutting out cutely as he showed his disapproval in his older brother's decision. Giotto steeled himself—a difficult task when he had a brother as adorable as Tsuna—and ruffled his younger brother's fluffy hair in response as he let go of the brunet's wrist.

"It's alright; you can buy it for me next time. Why don't you go and play first? I'll go buy the ice cream,” he replied gently, gesturing to the playground. Tsuna nodded reluctantly in reply, knowing that this was one argument he couldn't win.

The brunet started heading toward the playground, arms spread out wide in his excitement. Going to the park and getting ice cream on the same day, not to mention his father coming home tomorrow? He really was lucky! He still felt a little guilty about letting his older brother pay for his ice cream; after all, he had an allowance too! Gio-nii was always doing things for him and Tsuna  _really_  hoped that one day, he could return the favor.

Still deep in thought, Tsuna wasn’t aware of his surroundings and crashed right into someone, causing him to fall for the second time that day. Gingerly rubbing his aching bottom, he glanced upward to apologize, only to end up face to face with the neighborhood bully.

The bully was short and slightly chubby, black matted hair plastered to his head as he sneered down at the person in front of him. "Why, if it isn't Dame-Tsuna! Didn't think that I would get to see you again so soon!" the bully taunted, crossing his arms arrogantly. Tsuna scooted away as fast as he could, not caring that his jeans were getting dirty or that he was scratching his palms on the rough dirt road. His eyes were wide with fear, his body trembling as he recalled their encounter last month.

At the time, Tsuna had gotten separated from his brother and Mamma and was hopelessly lost. (The family guard was off-duty since Iemitsu had just returned home that day.) He wandered the streets aimlessly, desperately searching for any indication of where he was but to no avail. It was then that he bumped into the bully. The bully was looking for someone to torment, to vent his anger on, and Tsuna, alone and afraid, made an easy target. Tsuna couldn't fight back, not with his meager strength, nor was he able to defend himself very well. By the time Tsuna was found, the bully was long gone and he was covered in painful, purple bruises and scrapes.

The bully took a step forward, deliberately taking his time and enjoying the expressions of panic flickering across the brunet's face. The distance between the two boys decreased slowly, Tsuna too frozen in place to attempt to defend himself. His hold on the ground gave just as the bully stood right over him, and he hit the ground with his back. Unable to get up in time, he held his arms in front of him in a feeble attempt to protect himself as the bully raised his fist. Tsuna scrunched his eyes closed, bracing himself for the impact…

…that never came.

He slowly opened his eyes, only for his eyes to widen at the scene in front of him. There, holding the arm of the bully, was none other than his big brother, his eyes a blazing amber gold as he glared at the bully before him. They stood across from each other, each waiting for the other to give in. A few minutes passed in tense silence before the bully began to squirm; no one had ever stood up to him before – not to mention those unnatural looking eyes. Giotto's eyes were still narrowed in the same harsh glare even as he began to speak, his hold on the other's fist firm and showing no sign of letting go.

"You hurt my brother before." It wasn't a question, but a statement; one that everyone present knew was true.

The bully sneered again, obviously having enjoyed that pastime, before gathering his confidence and replying. "Yeah. So what if I did? What are you gonna d—"

His jeer was cut short as Giotto forcibly twisted the other's wrist, causing the bully to gasp in pain. The brunet’s glare hardened as he watched the now-coward whimper and sob, desperately trying to break free of the painful grasp. " _You_   _won't harm my brother in any way **ever**_   ** _again_** _._ " He twisted the limb further to emphasize his point before releasing his grip, watching as the bully ran away before turning his attention to his brother. Tsuna stared up at his older brother in awe, barely noticing as the blond helped him up and dusted off his jeans.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Did he do anything to you?" Giotto asked, his mouth turned down with worry and his eyes back to their normal golden shade. Tsuna snapped out of his daze and shook his head in response, smiling at his older brother reassuringly. Tsuna felt a sense of…  _something_  welling up within him. It was a mixture of pride, gratitude, and… something else. It overwhelmed him; and he glanced to the side to distract himself, only to stop on his brother's hands.

Giotto was holding a strawberry ice cream cone in one hand, while his other hand—the one used to hold the bully—was empty.

"G-Gio-nii…" Tsuna turned and gasped as he saw his older brother's ice cream cone on the road, no longer consumable. It was clear that his Gio-nii had dropped it in order to protect him, and the realization only made Tsuna feel even _guiltier_.

The blond reached over to grab Tsuna’s hand, gently pressing the ice cream cone into it. “It's alright. All that matter is that you are safe," Giotto reassured.

"B-But—"

"No, Tsuna. I'll protect you no matter what happens. I promise." Giotto said firmly, his eyes flickering amber once more. Tsuna frowned for a while before giving in. Truthfully, he was actually happy and relieved that his brother would protect him from harm’s way, but there was a part of him that couldn’t help but feel _frustrated_.

( _‘Weak,’_ something inside him whispered. Tsuna ignored it.)

"T-then… Gio-nii… you should share my ice cream with me!"

"… Eh?!"

* * *

 

Giotto's eyes snapped open, startled by the sound of his door creaking open in the middle of the night. He glanced around the room cautiously, taking note of how late it was, before calling out to the figure waiting outside, knowing exactly who it was. "Tsu-kun? Is something wrong?"

The figure peeking in from behind the door jumped, startled that he had been found out so easily, before opening the door enough to slip into the room. Tsuna fidgeted with the end of his orange t-shirt for a while, reluctant to speak as he quietly shut the door behind him. Giotto noticed this and, suppressing a sigh, threw his covers off and made his way over to his younger brother in a few strides before pulling him into a comforting hug.

"What happened? Was it another nightmare?" Tsuna tensed at the question, before nodding slowly in reply. He grasped the front of Giotto's shirt tightly in his hands and buried his face into it, as if trying to shut out the horrible memories of the dream.

"Do you wanna talk about it? It will make you feel better," Giotto asked softly, gently running his hand through Tsuna’s soft brown locks of hair.

They stood there in the dark, Giotto waiting patiently for Tsuna to speak as the latter slowly calmed himself and gathered enough courage to speak. It was a while, but eventually Tsuna began to speak, his voice still quivering in fear as he recalled his nightmare.

"I-I don't remember much... J-Just... Red. Lots of r-red. A-And p-pain... my arms and legs were burning… It was h-hard to b-b-breathe… And something was p-pointed at me. I d-don't know what it was... I t-tried to get away but I c-c-couldn’t get up… I-it hurt so much..." Tsuna's voice trailed off, turning into sobs as the brunet buried his face further into his older brother's shirt. He began to shake again as Giotto patted his back in light, rhythmic thumps to calm him.

Giotto ignored the fact that his shirt was getting soiled by his younger brother as he waited patiently for Tsuna to calm down. It wasn't often when Tsuna had nightmares; but when he did, they terrified him with frightening intensity. Often, Tsuna would end up heading to Giotto's room for comfort, and they would end up spending the night together (which Nana thought was sweet). Giotto didn't mind at all; he will protect Tsuna with his life. (And that wasn't going to change tonight nor any time soon if he had anything to say about it.)

"Want sleep with me tonight since you are already here? Papa is coming tomorrow and we need all the rest we can get so that we can spend as much time with him as possible." Tsuna hesitated then nodded slowly, his face still buried in Giotto's shirt. The crying had taken much of his remaining energy and now the brunet felt really tired. His head was drooping and his eyes were threatening to close shut, too exhausted to cry anymore. The fact that it was rather late at night didn’t help.

Giotto led Tsuna to his bed, supporting his younger brother carefully in case he stumbled in his half-asleep state and helping the brunet climb in first before he changed his shirt for a clean one. He tossed the soiled shirt into the laundry basket for washing before following Tsuna into bed. Tsuna was already asleep by the time Giotto made himself comfortable and wrapped his arms protectively around his younger brother. Giotto smiled as he took in Tsuna’s relaxed expression, feeling the tiredness beginning to creep up on him as well. He allowed his eyes to droop, joining his brother in dreamland.

If he was just a little more awake, he would have registered a nagging feeling telling him that this nightmare was different from all the other ones Tsuna had in the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to learn more about this AU (no spoilers!) or just chat with me about KHR, find me at [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/Chibichibichu) or check my profile for other places to find me :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by WaiiKitsune  
> This is where things start picking up so be mindful of the tags and sit back for the beginning of a wild ride.

"Papa!" Tsuna cried out as he ran to his Papa, who had just walked through the door.

Iemitsu, startled by the young brunet slamming into his legs for a hug, dropped the suitcase that he was carrying with a loud clatter. "Papa, Papa! I have something to show you!" Tsuna shouted excitedly as he moved out of the way to let his father step through the doorway. Iemitsu hesitated at Tsuna's boundless energy and eagerness before closing the door behind him and picking up the dropped suitcase. His hesitation went unnoticed by Tsuna, who had run ahead into their living room. He followed apprehensively, glancing around as he entered.

"Where did Nana and Giotto go?" he asked, noting the unusual silence of the house as he dropped his luggage by edge of the living room. Usually, there was always the sound of the children running around playing or his wife preparing meals in the kitchen. Now, however, the house was completely silent with the exception of himself and Tsuna.

"They went shopping! I wanted to stay home to greet Papa and they said that it was ok, since you were gonna be home soon!” Tsuna answered. Iemitsu nodded; it was true that Tsuna would be perfectly safe at home alone since they had hired someone to keep watch over the house (and, especially over the two kids). He also knew that Nana couldn't deny any request of Tsuna's (though the same couldn't be said for him).

Tsuna ran around in circles in the living room in excitement before slowing to a halt in front of his father. His energy seemed to have disappeared as he approached Iemitsu, wringing the edge of his shirt nervously. He craned his neck upwards and stared up with large, doe-like eyes. “Neh Papa?”

"Yes, Tsuna?" Iemitsu knelt down to Tsuna’s eye-level, a feeling of dread threading its way into his mind. He had absolutely no idea what Tsuna was going to show him, but his intuition said that he wasn't going to like it— _not one bit_.

' _It can't be…'_ Iemitsu grimaced.

Tsuna glanced to the side briefly, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves before turning back to Iemitsu Smiling briefly at his Papa, he closed his eyes in concentration and cupped his hands together in front of him. Iemitsu watched in apprehension as, much to his horror, a pure and bright orange flame sparked and slowly grew in Tsuna's cupped hands. Soon after, Tsuna opened his eyes to reveal a hint of orange in his normally chocolate-brown eyes, his gaze still concentrated on the flame in his hands. Iemitsu found himself glancing to Tsuna’s forehead, which was still lacking the flame to indicate that he had reached the full Hyper Dying Will Mode.

' _But still,'_ Iemitsu thought,  _'to be able to light such a flame… and at_ such _a young age **without proper instructions** …' _ Instead of pride, he only felt disgust and horror churn in his gut, clouding his thoughts as his mind raced to figure out how to deal with this newly developed predicament.

He broke out of his train of thought when he heard his younger son (he resisted the urge to _shudder_ at the thought) speaking to him. "I know that Papa didn't want me to watch but I  _really_  wanted to learn how to make the flame! And now I can! So… Tsuna is a big boy like Gio-nii now, right?" Tsuna had opened his eyes to stare up expectantly, his hands still cupping and holding the Dying Will Flame and lips curved into a small hesitant smile.

The unease in Iemitsu's heart grew as he turned his gaze back to the flame in Tsuna's hands.  _'It's not possible…It isn't!'_  He soon snapped out of his trance when he glanced up to see Tsuna’s expression turn from expectant to worried, waiting for a reaction at his achievement. It was all Iemitsu could do to control the rage and panic growing within him as he let a grin slip on his face, placing a hand on Tsuna's shoulder reassuringly. "That's… great Tsuna! You really are a big boy now!"

Tsuna broke into a huge grin upon hearing the compliment. Despite Nana always showering him and Giotto with the same amount of attention, Tsuna had always felt a sense of neglect from his father. He was constantly overshadowed by his older brother, no matter how hard he tried or what accomplishments he made. This never stopped him though; instead, it motivated him to try to stand out in  _any_ way, to work hard for his father's attention and acceptance. When he heard that Giotto was going to get 'private lessons' for being a big boy, Tsuna knew that he had to learn to be a big boy just like his brother. And then, perhaps, his father would treat him like he did with Giotto—with acceptance… and  _pride_.

And now, it looks like it finally paid off.

"As a prize, I'll take you out for a treat! How about that?!" Iemitsu picked up Tsuna, whose flame had disappeared at the shock of being picked up so suddenly. The young brunet immediately nodded in agreement, disregarding the fact that the flame had gone out, and held on tightly as Iemitsu headed toward the entrance of the house. He shifted Tsuna to one arm to free a hand and open the door, pausing briefly to nod at the Mafioso hidden in the bushes of their yard as he locked the door behind him. The Mafioso nodded and left silently, knowing that they were dismissed for the day, now that Iemitsu was home.

Tsuna cheered at the prospects of a reward as they continued down the street, unaware of the darkening expression that shadowed Iemitsu's face.

* * *

 

"Papa? Where are we going?" Tsuna asked as they walked through a particularly dark and eerily quiet neighborhood.

The sun was already beginning to set when they left the house and by the time they reached the neighborhood they were in, it was almost entirely dark. Tsuna didn't like the feeling that he was getting from their surroundings, not recognizing the part of the city that they were currently in. There were people so emancipated that they were just skin and bone and wearing threadbare clothes while others, with numerous scars covering their face and arms, eyed the duo with intense jealousy and loathing. The buildings, meanwhile, looked so run-down that it seemed like like they could fall over from the barest gust of wind. The dim lighting from the nearby lampposts added to the eerie atmosphere, creating shadows that looked like they could be hiding sinister monsters in their depths.

Dread and fear was building up within Tsuna and he buried his face into his father's shirt, not wanting to look at the ominous environment around them.

"Don't worry. We are almost there," Iemitsu reassured with mock enthusiasm before ducking into an empty alleyway, far away from any prying eyes. He confidently strode deeper into the alley, ignoring Tsuna's fidgeting and obvious unease.

"Papa… where are we…?" Tsuna asked when his father suddenly stopped walking, his voice trembling as he lifted his head hesitantly. He noticed how close the walls were and how the shadows created by the rapidly disappearing sunlight almost seemed to be _alive_ , filling him with a cold bone-chilling fear. It felt unsafe, dangerous, and Tsuna wanted nothing more than to be at home with his family.

( _‘Run…!’_ )

Tsuna was jolted from his thoughts when he was grabbed roughly by the back of his shirt. Before he could even grasp what was happening, the brunet was lifted up and thrown forward, flipping in the air before he landed harshly with a painful cry. His chest burned, sharp stones piercing skin and drawing blood, while his head throbbed from landing headfirst on the unforgiving pavement. He couldn’t make anything out through the ringing in his ears, and Tsuna could feel the blood pouring from a cut on his forehead.

He opened his eyes and blinked several times, his vision blurry and speckled red. Everything hurt, a mix of sharp aches and throbbing pain that clouded his thoughts and made it difficult to focus.

“You brat!”

Tsuna froze at the malice-filled voice, his head injury making his vision spin as he tried to lift his head. Squinting, he could barely make out the blur of person standing in front of him, wearing very familiar sleek, black Oxford shoes.   

"How dare you try to take away the title of Decimo from  _my_   ** _son_**!"

The voice sounded distant, unfamiliar due to the ringing in his ears and his mind raced with worry. Did someone attack them? Where was his Papa? Everything had happened so fast; Tsuna wasn’t sure if the alley had been empty when they entered or if someone had approached them from behind. Either way, there had to be something he could do.

Tsuna gathered what energy he could through the burning sensation of his injuries and forced his vision to focus on the attacker. His eyes shimmered orange as an urge to protect those close to him ignited in his chest. He had to get up and find his Papa, who could be hurt, injured, or even _dying_ …

… or standing before him, hands clenched tightly by his side as he glared down at the brunet, his eyes dark with pure malice and hatred. Tsuna’s throat tightened, orange fading away and eyes widening as his fear spiked.

There was never an attacker. The attacker was his **_Papa_** _._

_Your son? …Gio-nii? But… what about me? Aren't I… your son too?_

Before he could react, he was grasped by the collar of his shirt and thrown into the nearby wall, his head snapping back painfully and breath knocked out of his lungs. He roughly fell onto the ground and into a heap, gasping in pain as his left ankle twisted awkwardly under his weight.

_Papa, what are you doing? You're hurting me…_

Tsuna wanted to voice his thoughts; he didn't understand— ** _couldn't_** _understand—_ why his Papa was doing this to him, much less what he was _saying_. But he couldn’t get enough air, his chest hurting too much every time he tried to take a breath.

Iemitsu's face was twisted in unbridled anger, his eyes filled with scorn and contempt as he towered over Tsuna. "I take you in and this is the thanks that I get?! I should have killed you when I had the chance, but _no_ , Nana really wanted to keep you; she was  ** _appalled_**  at the idea of me killing an innocent brat. _Innocent?_   _As if!_  You and Frederico the ones were standing in our way. Giotto is supposed to lead the Vongola. No, he will be the one to lead the Vongola! No one else!  _And especially not **you**!_ "

He brought up an immaculate shoe and stomped _hard_ on Tsuna's unprotected right arm, sneering as screams of pain and agony were pulled from the young brunet's lips. Tsuna struggled ineffectively to escape from the unyielding pain, his voice bouncing off the walls as his _father_ painfully ground his shoe into the small arm. Iemitsu laughed maniacally as he lifted his foot and stomped down on the same arm—in the same location—with deadly accuracy, lips curling into a cruel smirk when he rewarded with an ear-splitting scream and a resounding ‘ _crack_ ’. He lifted his leg again, this time releasing the brunet from his attack, and watched with a twisted grin as Tsuna curled into a loose fetal position, cradling his leg and arm as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Iemitsu only gave Tsuna a small moment of respite before he began kicking the petite boy without remorse, sneering viciously as the brunet screamed. It didn't matter if anyone heard; in a neighborhood like this, crimes in the area were a normal occurrence and no one cared for others—the exact reason why Iemitsu chose this place.

A kick landed squarely on Tsuna's chest and Iemitsu smirked as he heard another crack. By then, Tsuna was in too much agonizing pain, barely conscious enough to make another sound. Satisfied, Iemitsu reached into a pocket in his jacket, where a small handgun equipped with a silencer was concealed. Through half-closed eyelids, Tsuna glanced up from where he laid, still in the loose fetal position on the cold stone floor and his vision blurred by countless tears.

The gun came into focus first, then his father—no, the _stranger_. Even he understood that the man before him, who was pointing a gun menacingly at him, no longer deserved to be called his father. Tsuna could only shiver with his eyes now open wide in fear, whimpering as the pain overrode all his senses and made it near impossible for him to move even a single inch.

Iemitsu’s finger hovered over the trigger momentarily as the thought of his beloved wife came to mind. Knowing her keen intuition, she would definitely find out what happened to Tsuna. If Nana ever found out that _he_ had went against her wishes—that he _killed_ Tsuna—he would never be forgiven.

Ultimately, his love for his beloved wife and his desire to not betray her won over and Iemitsu shook his head, slowly tucking the gun away as he glared at the boy in front of him. "You’re not worth dirtying my hands over. Leaving you here is already certain death," he spat before continuing. “Isn’t it ironic… You’d never have been in this state if Nana hadn’t pleaded for your life. Instead what you got was a few more years of life... and a much more painful end.” He laughed mirthlessly as he turned around. “You never should have existed. Hurry up and disappear.” His shoes clicked on the pathway, the sound echoing loudly as though sealing Tsuna’s fate shut.

Tsuna didn’t bother to move—not that he even _could_ ; his body screamed in pain when he moved even a single muscle. All he could do was stare up at what little sky he could see from between the buildings, watching numbly with lifeless eyes as rainclouds slowly obscured the previously clear sky.

_Why…_

His physical wounds didn’t even compare to the gaping hole in his heart. Young as he was, he still had a vague understanding of what death was and the mere thought of it scared him. But right at that moment, he almost welcomed death; it was better than the flaring pain throbbing through his entire body.

_Why… did you do this to me…?_

His Papa… His father…  _his own **father**_  did this…

His thoughts, which had been spinning from confusion and shock, screeched to a sudden stop. Something was tugging at him, called forth from the back of his consciousness. Images flashed in front of his eyes at lightning speed, none of which he could understand—not with his mind dulled in pain.

All he could register was red. 

_Blood red._

Before he could even attempt comprehend anything more, his consciousness succumbed to the darkness.

… And then, rain fell as the sky broke, almost as if the sky was crying…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the plot thickens! Only one more chapter before we are caught up with FFN and start getting new content :D  
> If you want to learn more about this AU (no spoilers!) or just chat with me about KHR, find me at [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/Chibichibichu) or check my profile for other places to find me :) And let me know your thoughts and theories below!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by WaiiKitsune

He ignored the endless murmurs and whispers with ease as he strolled down the streets, keeping a wary eye on his surroundings from under the brim of his fedora. The neighborhood he was passing through was one of the more poverty-stricken areas of Italy, one with an especially dark reputation of crime and mafia-related activities. Drug addicts and homeless people were everywhere with the filthy streets covered with litter, glass shards, broken boards, and other indistinguishable things. Nearly every building was boarded shut, walls splattered with a mixture of paint and blood. There was little doubt that he stood out with his neatly pressed suit and sleek black fedora with a single stripe of yellow. Almost everyone turned to stare at him, but no one dared to approach him. To those that didn’t know him, the aura he radiated—one that _screamed_ danger and whispered death—kept them away. The ones that did know of him and his reputation knew better than to even glance in his direction.

He _was_ , after all, Reborn, the world's strongest hitman.

Reborn continued walking at a brisk pace, pausing momentarily when his well-trained senses alerted him of something that, strangely enough, someone of _his_ caliber couldn't discern. He slowed his pace, glancing around thoughtfully before turning his gaze to the sky. In contrast to the somewhat accurate forecasts, the sky was dark and overshadowed by rainclouds that threatened to spill any moment. Not even the slightest shred of sunlight could possibly break through the heavy rainclouds; everything was simply drowned in the shadows. If Reborn didn't know better…

… he would have thought that the sky was  _crying_.

His thoughts were cut short, however, as his instincts flared and he reacted instinctively, side-stepping to the right just as a blond ran past him. Reborn let a lazy smirk tug at his lips as he watched the blond trip and fall, face-first, onto the paved floor with a loud cry.

"Reborn, you asshole! Why did you move, kora?!" the blond growled, glaring at the hitman as he got up, dusting off his military uniform and adjusting the rifle he carried on his back. Reborn scoffed at Colonnello’s childishness, tilting his fedora downward to cover his eyes as the blond scowled at the lack of response.

There once was a time when his jokes would have caused the two of them to butt heads and argue, which never failed to amuse their other comrades. But that was ages ago, back when  _she_  was still alive. Colonnello might not be the brightest in their group, but he was no idiot. He knew, just as well as the others, that Reborn had changed ever so subtly after her death. Others wouldn’t even notice the change—the change only noticeable because they had been companions for so long.

Out of all the Arcobaleno, Reborn was hit the hardest by her death, for he sincerely believed that the incident that took her life—their  ** _Sky_** —was entirely his fault. None of the Arcobaleno blamed him; Colonnello was dead sure of that. But Reborn was nothing but stubborn and continued to shoulder the burden alone. He was never the sunniest person to begin with (ironic, considering he was the _Sun_ Arcobaleno); but after that incident, the already rare smiles disappeared and the occasional interactions and banter slowly faded away. Even the remaining Arcobaleno—all of whom had grown up together—couldn't mend the scars carved deep into his heart.

Colonnello swallowed a sigh as he pushed the depressing thoughts out of his mind; there was nothing he could do about it at the moment, after all. Instead, he threw his arms behind his head and started walking alongside Reborn in his usual carefree manner. "So, what are you doing around these parts, kora?” he asked.

"Mission from the Vongola."

Colonnello turned toward Reborn, mildly surprised that the hitman actually bothered to answer this time, since usually he tended to ignore everyone’s attempts at small talk. That didn’t make Colonnello any happier, but he supposed it was a start. Still, there was nothing more he could do if Reborn would only give short, blunt responses, so instead the blond instead kept his mouth shut and pondered over the vague information he received from Reborn.

Like the rest of the Arcobaleno, Reborn wasn't tied to the Vongola in any way—their loyalties lay solely with their former Sky. Instead they would occasionally pick up missions from any Famiglia that they felt worthy of their services, as long as the missions didn’t go against their personal ethics. Missions that required their level of expertise were chosen after careful consideration and often spanned weeks or even months. More often than not, the Arcobaleno were busy with their own self-appointed duty as the I Prescelti Sette: protecting the underworld from threats and eliminating anyone those that participated in inhumane actions.

In fact, the mission that Reborn just completed was one: annihilating a Family that found conducting illegal experiments on _living_   _orphans_.

As they walked down the streets on the way back to their hideout on the outskirts of the city, rain began to pour from the sky, drenching the two Arcobaleno and soaking their clothes. Colonnello grimaced as he held out a hand, staring at the droplets of water gathering on his palm. "Strange… It wasn't supposed to rain today; the forecast said it was supposed to be clear skies for the whole week." He glanced at his gun slung over his shoulder and sighed wearily, knowing that he was going to have to painstakingly dismantle and dry it when he got back home.

Reborn didn't answer, lifting his fedora slightly so that he could gaze at the sky. A weird, foreign feeling was forming in his chest, a sense of urgency telling him that the sky was  _crying_. It was crying for someone to save it… and somehow… that someone was  _him_. It wanted to stop crying; it wanted the Sun to come shine its light and for the Rain to comfort it.

_What the hell was this feeling and where was it coming from?!_

It frustrated Reborn to no end. The feeling had come out of nowhere and without cause, an unseen cry for help. His instincts screamed for him to take action and even his _flames_ were reacting, flaring outward and seeking for the one calling for him. The hitman wasn't about to ignore it either; his instincts had yet to fail him throughout his entire career as a hitman, and he was certain they weren't about to fail him now. Still, with absolutely no clue as to what his instincts were pointing him to and his flames unable to find the source, Reborn had no choice but to push it aside for now and look for shelter from the pouring rain. His clothes were starting to uncomfortably stick to his skin and his fedora was almost plastered to his head from the water. He took a step forward—

_I-it… it hurts…_

A voice cut through Reborn's thoughts and the hitman stopped, glancing around with barely concealed confusion. Colonnello, who had walked quite some ways ahead before realizing Reborn wasn’t following him, turned around and watched the Sun Arcobaleno survey their surroundings in an almost frantic manner. "What are you stopping for, kora?! We are going to get drenched at this rate. Hurry up!" Reborn turned to face Colonnello, frowning when he noticed the bewilderment in the blond's expression. 

_He... can't hear it? Am I the only one who can?_  His flames burned fiercely, pulsating outward in waves and reaching out with increased vigor. Very few could sense his flames when he used them for recon missions, and the look of shock and concern flashing into Colnnello’s expression told him that he was soon passing that threshold.

“O-oi—”

It was then that he heard the voice again.

Louder.

_Stronger_.

**_Closer_ ** _._

… _Someone… please... H-help... me..._

Reborn spun around to face the alleyway they just passed, just in time to see a blond man walk out, head held high as if victorious. Despite only seeing his back, the hitman found the man strangely familiar, as if they had met several times before. Reborn pushed the thought aside for now, however, because he now knew—his flames were being pulled in that direction with a burning ferocity that he had never felt before, and at the moment he couldn’t bring himself to _care_ —the source of the voice was coming from the samealleyway that the man just stepped out of. Ignoring Colonnello's shouts behind him, he ran into the alleyway, a hand resting on his gun as a precaution.

And to be honest, Reborn wasn't even sure  _why_ he was actually going to help, just that he  ** _had_**   to no matter what.

* * *

Iemitsu rested his hand on the doorknob, knowing that he would have to come up with a plausible explanation as to why Tsuna was 'missing', a good one that Nana and Giotto would accept. Gathering his thoughts and taking a deep breath to compose himself, he turned the knob and opened the door.

"Nana! Giotto! I'm back!" he called out cheerfully, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. He didn't head further into the house; he was soaking wet from the rain and had no intention of dripping water all over the house. Giotto was the first to appear, coming out of the kitchen with a worried look on his face. Iemitsu opened his arms wide, expecting a hug despite being thoroughly drenched and was thoroughly surprised when he didn't get one.

"Papa... You took Tsuna somewhere right?" Giotto asked, frowning deeply as he avoided the eyes of his father. Ever since he and Nana had gotten home and found Tsuna missing, he had the strangest feeling that his father was involved. This feeling only intensified when he found his father's suitcase inside, but no sign of his father. "W-where is he? Where did you take Tsuna?!" Giotto was beside himself with worry; he just wanted to see his brother  _safe and sound_.

Iemitsu grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Now now, Gio-kun—"

"Don't call me Gio-kun! I want to know where Tsuna is!" Giotto shouted, eyes burning a molten orange as he turned to glare harshly at his fa— … no. He couldn't even bring himself to call Iemitsu that. Iemitsu was hiding something from him, Giotto just knew it. And that something was related to Tsuna, his precious younger brother.

Giotto was practically  _vibrating_ with anger and worry and if Iemitsu didn't answer him soon, Giotto was going to  ** _snap_**.

Iemitsu took a step back from the force of Giotto’s words, taken back by his son’s yelling. Giotto  _never_  raised his voice, and especially not at his  ** _family_**. Before he could give some sort of excuse, Nana hesitantly walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron and, with one glance at Iemitsu’s drenched self, her expression twisted into a mix of dread and horror. "Iemitsu... You didn't... take…"

Iemitsu turned away, refusing to meet his wife's stern gaze. He knew he couldn’t lie. "I... I  _had_  to."

Giotto glanced frantically between his mother and father. "M-mama... What are you talking about? Where is Tsuna?"

Nana walked over to her son slowly, shaking her head as she knelt down and brought Giotto into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Gio-kun… Tsu-kun… H-he's..." She wasn’t sure if she was trying to comfort herself or Giotto as she spoke, her voice wavering as she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. "He's... ** _gone_**."

Giotto tilted his head back so that he could see his mother's expression, his face slowly going pale with worry and fear. "G-gone? W-what do you mean?" He didn't want to believe what he was hearing, even though he knew his mother wouldn't lie to him. But the memories of the previous night—of Tsuna's  ** _nightmare_** —came rushing back and he felt his stomach twist in horror. "N-no... No...  ** _NO_**...!" Being young children, they still only had a vague, naïve understanding of the world around them. But still, no matter how much they were shielded from the Mafia world, there were still things that couldn’t be hidden from innocent souls.

They knew about death.

Giotto gripped his mother's apron tightly, his eyes screwed shut as he buried his face into Nana's apron and tried to deny the painful reality that he would never see Tsuna again. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks, but he didn't care. He felt like his heart was getting ripped apart with the loss of his beloved brother, the one that he promised to protect  _just the night before_. Nana could do nothing but hug her son as Giotto cried over the loss of his younger brother, hands fisting her apron in anguish and loss. Her eyes watered at the sight, but steeled as she directed her gaze to Iemitsu, who still bore the same indifferent expression.

As if he didn't just  _murder_   _their **son**_.

Nana shook her head; the man before her was no longer the same man that she once loved so long ago. The man before her was a bloodthirsty  _monster_  who was greedy for power, even willing to kill a living,  _breathing, **innocent**_  human—their  ** _son_** —to get it. She gently tore away from Giotto's grasp to go grab Iemitsu's suitcase, before walking over and thrusting it into his arms. "Go. You are no longer welcome in this house." Her lips trembled slightly but her gaze was stern and unwavering, as if _daring_ Iemitsu to challenge her.

Iemitsu stared, wide-eyed, at his wife, not believing what he just heard. Numbly, he grabbed his suitcase. "W-what?"

"I said, ‘ ** _Leave_**.’ I refuse to be involved anymore. You are no longer my husband." With that she opened the door and shoved Iemitsu, who was still stunned, into the unrelenting rain. Slamming the door shut and locking it behind her, she walked over to Giotto and fell to her knees, finally letting her tears fall.

Iemitsu stared incredulously at the door in front of him. He hadn’t meant to be found out so quickly, and Nana knew how dangerous it was to keep Tsuna alive. Scoffing at his wife's stupidity, Iemitsu turned away from the door and headed down the street, not feeling a shred of guilt over what he had done. For now, he would return to the office and spend a few nights there. He was confident that given a few days later, his wife would calm down and let him back in like usual.

There was no way that the death of a pathetic _orphan_ was going to get in the way of their undying love for each other.

* * *

Reborn ignored the heavily-pouring rain as he ran down the alley, water splashing with every step he took. He could hear Colonnello calling his name behind him and feel just how soaked his clothes were, but he paid it all no heed. Instead, he focused on finding the source of distress, the one calling for his help.

He turned the corner, and his blood ran cold at the sight that greeted him.

A young brunet, seemingly barely five years old, lay on the cold stone tiles, soaking wet and covered in mud from the rain. As Reborn approached the child, it became increasingly obvious that there was something terribly wrong. Despite the chill in the air from the rain, the brunet _wasn’t shivering_. Not only that, the brunet made no acknowledgement of his presence as all, despite the obvious sounds of water splashing Reborn had made on purpose with every step the hitman took.

Reborn made his way towards the brunet, frowning when he caught sight of red mixed into the rainwater splattered on the ground. Fresh blood. He knelt down next to the child, surprised to sense a hint of Sky flame from the tiny form. Sun Flames danced under his fingertips against his will, as of summoned by the weak Sky flames. But what piqued his interest was the fact that the Sky flames, weak as they were, contained such sheer purity. It didn't just rival the Arcobaleno's; it was, quite possibly, even purer than  _hers._  Yet at the same time, he also sensed something much darker, much more _sinister_ hidden beneath that purity. It was unusual –and extremely rare– to sense such a thing coming from anyone, much less such a _young_   ** _child_**. Reborn could barely hold back the anger that came with the revelation.

"Hey."

He gently shook the brunet’s shoulder, who flinched and whimpered in obvious pain. That definitely didn’t bode well. Turning the brunet over onto his back as gently as possible, Reborn found the small body covered with bruises and scrapes, with blood still oozing from most of them. His right arm and left leg were oddly twisted, the positioning unnatural. The child's eyes were squeezed tightly shut and his expression was contorted from pain at the sudden movement.

The sight tugged at the hitman's heartstrings, and Reborn found himself startled at that. As a professional hitman, Reborn had seen countless people that were in much worse conditions; he should be indifferent to sights like this by now. Yet this child… this fragile,  _broken_  child had stirred up feelings in him that he had long since buried. He wanted to help and protect this young Sky and he had no idea  _why_. Was it because of his flame? Was it because his purity reminded the hitman of  _her_? Reborn wasn't sure but he knew one thing  _very_ clearly: he had to act and he had to do it  ** _now_**.

Footsteps rapidly approached from behind, and it took all of Reborn’s self-control draw his gun, despite already knowing that it wasn’t an enemy. He turned just as Colonnello rounded the corner, the blond visibly irritated from having been left behind. "Why did you suddenly run off like that, kora?!" Colonnello huffed. Reborn didn't answer, merely shifting so that the small brunet could be seen. The Rain Arcobaleno's eyes widened at the sight and he immediately knelt down beside Reborn, hands hovering hesitantly over the brunet as he inspected the damage. "What happened to him, kora?"

Colonnello had always been told that his greatest weakness, despite being part of the military, was his heart; he was far from heartless, but there were many times when he would let his feelings get in the way of his mission and endanger his life to save others. Lal, a fellow Arcobaleno and his former superior, always reprimanded him on his recklessness, but he had never listened. He believed that if he simply pushed aside his feelings for even a moment, he was no better than a cold-blooded killer who was simply told what to do. No matter what people said, he would follow his heart and what it said. And right now, Colonnello was seething with rage, furious that someone would torture a child like this and leave them to _die._

If there was one thing that he and the other Arcobaleno absolutely couldn’t stand, it was getting children involved in the Mafia.

Reborn shrugged off his jacket, wrapping it around the brunet before picking him up gently. Before Colonnello could could even begin to comment on the unusual behavior, Reborn shot him a glare, as if daring him to say something, and stood up. Deciding that getting home in one piece sounded much more pleasant at the moment, the Rain Arcobaleno swallowed his remark and stood up, once again adjusting the rifle on his back before following Reborn out of the alley.

Once out of the alley, Colonnello spoke, his tone hushed. "We should hurry back, kora." Reborn nodded wordlessly and began running, cradling the brunet firmly in his arms and trying not to jostle him too much while Colonnello followed next to him.

As they made their way back, Colonnello wondered just what was so special about the boy that made Reborn change. Reborn, who wasn't a compassionate person to begin with—even before the incident a few years ago—suddenly decided to help a random, injured boy that he found in an alley. It was possible that the hitman had decided to help on a whim; but then again, Reborn was never one to do things on whims. Even as he watched, the normally expressionless hitman glanced down at the boy with the slightest frown before looking ahead once more.

Colonnello was glad something—well, some _one_ —has finally made a crack in his old friend’s stone-cold heart, and he would be lying if there wasn’t something about the brunet urging him to help as well. Something resonated inside of him, aching whenever he looked at the child cradled in Reborn’s arms. A feeling that he had thought he would never have again. Weird. For now though, they needed to get out of the pouring rain.

Above, a gentle, warm light from the sun peaked through the dark storm clouds, as if it found the small courage to shine once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while but I have been sitting on this chapter and I just need to get it out there. We are finally caught up with FFN so next chapter is going to be new, never seen before content. Look forward to it and please leave your thoughts below!  
> If you want to learn more about this AU (no spoilers!) or just chat with me about KHR, find me at [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/Chibichibichu) or check my profile for other places to find me :)


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